Metal running board



illu) J. BOCA yMETAL RUNNING BOARD Filed Nov. 24, 192s Nov. 19,v 1929.

Pawnee Nov. 19, 1.929

vJosnirr BOCA, OF FLINTQMIGHIGA-N, AssIeNon ro GENERAL'morons-CORPORATION,

or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION. or DELAWARE Y METAL nonnina BOARDApplication filed November 24,1926. Serial No. 150,529. v

This invention relates to running boards for use on automotive vehicles,'and particu larly to the manner in which the metal mat and its bindingstrips are attachedl Y5v In addition to neatness of appearance,inexpensive production and ease vof construction, the objectof theninvention is to allow a more facile application of mats to` runningboards and permit of'a ready rel0 placement of parts should they `becomeldam-V aged or worn.` flt is also the Object to'construct amat whichwill; be held in place by a minimum of bolts or'similar securing meansand to` secure the mat and its associated parts i5. to the apron whichcovers the space between the `running board and chassis.^

Y In the drawing: f v

Figure 1 is a sidevelevation', with parts broken away, of Ia' portion ofan automobile 29 sufficient to show the application ofmy 'inventionthereto.` y v l f Figure 277is' a transverse section throughy therunning lboardlon line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a plan view of aportion of mat z forming the object of my invention.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view on an enlarged scale on the line 2 2of Figure 1. Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the running boardas a whole, 2 the apron,

'Q 8 the side bar of the chassis, and 4 the rigid metallic supportingbraces which arev attached to the chassis at 5 and sustain the runf ningboard structure. These parts, together with the bolts 6 for fasteningthe board 1 Lgf-S to the braces, are conventional. My invention is moreclosely concerned with the application of the mat 7 to the runningboard 1. This mat is of metal, but obn bent at 12, slightlyspaced fromthe web of the flange 11, and then'inwardly flanged asat V13, whereitoverliesbut does not contact with the mat 7 At the inner edge of theplate 9 where the 55- downturned flange 10 meets the apron 2,this' apronhas an outwardly 'bent' flanged edge 12 which underlies the edgefof theflange 10.` Secured between the flange 10 andthe apron 2 is a retainingstrip13=,?` corrugatedor ribbed 60 at its exposed surface. Thisstrip isangle shaped and through one leg 14,3thro`ugh the {iange 10 and theapron 2a bolt 15 is Vpassed and a rnut 16 applied tofrigidly securethepartstogether. The other leg 17'has a down- 65' wardl-y bent flangededge `18 which overl-ies 1 and firmly contacts with the mat 7 to.securely holdv itin place'. If desired, theflange ismay beiomiaed. i

f A@ each end of thema 7 '2i-suitable retain; 7.0-

ing strip 19 isV provided to securely'hold its Vtransverse edges.V lTheconstruction ,at the endsfis the same as at the front exceptthatthesecur'ing strip 19 lhas no kbead but a rlein- ,75

forcing'plafte 26 yi's'a'pplied' to the down'turned` f f Y i At thevOuter edge `of fthe lrunning yboard' there is applied the-longitudinalretaining strip `20 which -isfgenerally angle shaped.

This strip is corrugated-orribbed as at 21 892 on its upper-exposedsurface and has a bead 22 stamped in its lateral surface. Y Bothdegs Yof the strip 20- have theirlongitudinal edges rounded and slightlyreturn-bent and "as a whole the strip20 embracesfthe"return-bent 8.55

flange of the plate 9. The lower return-bent portion 23 closely conformsthe return-bent f Y Aedgeof the plate 9, while vthe flange'25'of theupper rounded edge 24 fits around and' is held by the flange 13 andvcontacts with and securely holdsthe :edgeof the mat Y lThisconstruction has theadvantageof carrying the finish strip 20 wellpbackfrom the outer edge of the running boardthereby serving 9,'5 Y.

to remove any great'tendency for the shoe of the passengertostrilrefjthe stripand tear it loose. a f Y j i A If desired thelateral beaded surface of.

thev retaining strip 2O may be pla-in or corru loo gated, or in place ofthe ribs 21, a bead may be used.'

In operation the :plate 9 is first applied,

" the mat 7 laid thereon, the retaining and iin- 15 and: nuts 1Giisliingstrips 13 and 1 9 set in place and these parts seeuredttogetlierby means .ofthe bolts y The rounded edge 24 of theretaining strip isapplied under the flange 13 and the strip then snapped Vintovplacelbyfpressing the rounded-edge 23 overthe edge'of the flangell,12.`` I may also leave-| the edge 23 straight and bend the metalaboutthe'flange 11,12 by means of a suitable' tool; Running boards areusuallysecuredto their supporting braces by means of Abolts butinAUshapedrwasher SO having flanges 31 abuts againsttheb ottom'ofY thechannel 32 and thev 25? nut 33 secures the'washer on the bolt and holdsAthe: structure tothe braces--4 The U- sliapedvwasher has a certainamount? of resiliencyfandf'when they nutgis drawn` tight the washer willhave a tendency to1push down'- 3'0 ward andthereby aid inmore firmlysecur-V ing'theparts'in place and preventrattling.y s .Y Whatlclaimis; Y

j,-1. A runningboard'f, meansl `to support tlie board, a plate mountedon said' -means,vdown` 35- turned fianges at vthe IV longitudinal edgesof said;v plate oneofsaidflanges being return'k y bent andV inwardlyflan-ged at its -edge,; amat mount-eden the plate, andretainingstripsfor i securing thematto-the plate.,` f s t flanges at theylongitudinaledges of said'plate,

one of vvsaidA flanges being. return-bent and inwardly'fianged at itsedge, amat mounted on said` plate? and underlying, saidj last named2.@Al running board, means for. supporting` the board, a vplate mountedon'sa-id meansp and outer angle shaped retaining strips embracing vtheflanged edges and mat edges for securing the mat to the plate. s

5. A running board, means to support the board, a mat, a plate mountedon saidmeans o and adapted top reeeive said mat /flangeson theAlfo'ngitudin al edges of said plate;0ne of said flanges beingreturn-bent and spaced frm the web of theflange, a `flange at the edge`l' of lthe returneb'ent portion,-saidlast named flangefoverlyingtheedgeoftlie mat, and innerand .outer'angle shaped retaining stripsembracing the flanged edges and overlapping the-mat edges, said innerretaining strip having ay downwardly projecting fiange at its mat oreteningedge: x .1,

6511111- -af running board, supporting means therefonia plate i mountedvonV gsaid means, flanged edges on said plate, areturn bent portionon'one-ofsaidflangesfa matonfsaidplate,

sadfmat underlying saidfretu rnbentportioni 7 Thecombination*` of claim6,1said returnzbent portion havingsa; flanged edge whichf overliesthem'at., y Y v 8. The combinationof clainryand-anish ing strip secured;to said Yretu'rn' bent por-- tionfian'd holding saidmat in. place. f

9. In a running fboard, supporting means l i therefor,an apro'n,;a-:plateoverlyingsaid v mea-ns, flanged` edgeonsaid pflatefsaidfflangezsecured to the apron; a second flangededgeg;.

a return bent portion on said-qseond flanged edge havingvan;inwardlyextending flange, a Vmat f underlyingy theinwardlyeXteI-idingj` flange. and: yfinishing strips secured to saidiianged edges and holding saidjmat Intestimonyzwliereo nI- laffixmyZ-signature. JOSEPH BUGA.vv

f l101s y flange, and retaining stripsembracing` the v fl-angesandvsecuringtlie-mat to tlre plate.,

,Y 3.1' A,-runningxboard, means to'supportgtlre` board,- a; platemounted on said means, downturned flanges'at they longitu dinaledgesofthe' plate, one of said Yflanges being return-bent and inwardlyiangedv at its edge, a mat:

mounted onthe plate andY underlyingthe lastV named flange, and angleshaped retaining strips vembracing said flanges for securing thematrtogtheplate, one 4of saidjstrips having rounded return-bent edges.

.4'. Arunning boardymeans to support the l xboard, a mat,`a' plate,mounted on said means and receiving jsaid mat, downturned flanges Vonthe longitudinal edges of said plate lone of said flanges being returnbent 'and slig'fht-` l1y sp'acedfrom the web portion, a flangeat the.edge vof the returnfben't portion` said last named Harige"overlyin'g'the mat, and inner i las'

